


Batman: End Game

by MrBatFlash



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-07 20:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8815666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrBatFlash/pseuds/MrBatFlash
Summary: Following the events of "Death of the Family", the Joker returns to Gotham, after being presumed dead when he fell off the cliff. He realises that Batman has become "boring" and now he is determined to destroy Batman and the city of Gotham once and for all. But this time...he has the "best trick of all" up his sleeve. IN-PROGRESS!





	1. Fear Toxin

**Gotham, PRESENT TIME -**

The Gotham Royal Theatre was constructed four years ago, not long after the events of what became known as Gotham's  _Zero Year._  The Theatre was part of a cultural reconstruction initiative...a second phase of rebuilding. The idea was, now that the city's infrastructure had been repaired, it was time to rebuild Gotham's art facilities, bigger and better than before. To make them places the people of Gotham could escape to and express their hopes and fears.

I was on the Royal Theatre board and noticed more and more money being poured into the construction. In a few months we were nearly three hundred thousand dollars over budget. So I went personally to see what was going on. The architect was a friend of mine named Wade. When I asked him about the money, he pointed up to the ceiling of the theatre. He had constructed a special harness for the theatre. The play they were performing was  _Orestes_ , and, Wade explained, at the end of the play there was a  _deus ex machina_. A moment when the god Apollo descends from the sky to save the characters from destruction.

"Bruce," he said. "After all we've been through...I just wanted it to feel real. I wanted everyone in the theatre to believe in that god coming down to help. I just wanted them all to feel safe…"

And in the end...what could I say to that?

**[SCENE BREAK]**

* * *

"I repeat someone appears to have launched a chemical attack against Midtown Gotham!" the reporter shouted. She was standing on the streets of Midtown Gotham, surrounded by tall buildings and dust clouds that were now quickly forming in the sky. "Literally minutes ago, without warning, a cloud of gas emerged from the sewer grates, effectively covering nearly ten square blocks!"

"This scene has been in pandemonium, as the police work to clear the area!" the reporter said into the camera. "Fortunately it seems that at this point, nearly everyone has been  _evacuated_ from the affected neighbourhood."

"Bless the men and women of the GCPD, Lola! We have more breaking information now though...initial reports just coming in...the Gotham Department of Homeland Security…" the news presenter, back at the news station said. His face suddenly filled with confusion. "...Well this is strange. It seems the gas itself, after preliminary tests, appears to be... _harmless!"_

"Harmless?" Lola the reporters asked, clearly confused as well. "A gas attack with harmless gas? It's almost as if somebody wanted to clear the area. Looking at the perimeter, it's tightly circumscribed. A circle. Like a stadium...or an arena."

Batman was standing in an abandoned street of Midtown Gotham, in his Justice Buster suit. The two circular blue lights shone on the suit brightly, like two suns had clashed together. Several plates of armour were secured around the main foundation of the suit, to protect it from heavy attacks."Come on then! It's just you and me now! You think you can take me? In  _my_ city? Then step into the ring!"

"Welcome to Gotham!" he said, raising the giant robotic fists of his suit.

**[SCENE BREAK]**

* * *

**Bruce's Nightmares -**

"Keep going! And don't aim for the centers! Aim for the ridges in their bells! The rhopalia! Their sensory bundles!" Batman shouted, shooting his large shotgun at the nearest creatures.

"There are too many!" Duke Thomas shouted behind him, skidding over another creature's head, with the front wheels of his bike.

"Keep pushing! Their ship is-"

"Batman, there's nowhere to run!" Penny-Two shouted "They're everywhere!"

Batman stared at the ruins of Gotham around him. The building were burnt to the ground, the air was smothered by toxic and the roads was ripped open, revealing the hard dirt underneath.

"I won't accept that!" Batman shouted. "Penny-One! Come in Pen-"

A large creature jumped over the ruined bus, tackling him in the process. "Agh! No! Aack!" Batman shouted.

This nightmare was suddenly interrupted by a voice coming from above, in the sky. "Sir! Your vitals! Sir!" Alfred shouted.

**[SCENE BREAK]**

* * *

**Old Wayne Tower - 29 Minutes before the chemical attack.**

Bruce Wayne woke up at the medical bed, bandages wrapped around his body. He groaned as he got up, pulling himself upright slowly.

"Sir?" Alfred asked, the concern clearly shown in his face.

"I'm sorry, Alfred," Bruce said, and then nodded to the needle in Alfred's hand. "This injection should put an end to the visions."

"I can't imagine it's been pleasant, seeing your  _end_  over and over, regardless of how colorful the variations might be," Alfred said slowly injecting the needle into Bruce's neck.

"They are very colourful," Bruce replied, grabbing the hand Alfred offered to help him upright. "A  _Cassandra_   _strain_  of fear toxin… Crane is an artist, I'll give him that."

 _It must have a correlation to the mechanism that causes us to wake when we die in dreams,_ Bruce thought.  _My guess is that it's based on some inversion of that neurochemistry._

"Regardless, you are feeling all right, now?" Alfred asked, as they walked to the room next door.

"They're just nightmares...and it's daytime. Or so it seems," Bruce replied looking around at the sight of Gotham's skyscrapers. Julia Pennyworth was working on the hologram near the window.

"Tell me again, Bruce, how is it that out of all the Bat Bases you've had, this is the only one with windows?" Julia questioned, arching hery eyebrow.

"Old habits, Julia," Bruce sighed.

"Well there is nothing old about these," Julia replied, gesturing to the windows. "The windows will look like brick from the outside, but they're liquid crystals on silicate. If there's a crime, you'll see it three-dimensionally plotted against the city."

"Hmm. I'm impressed. You looking for a butler job?" Bruce smiled jokingly.

"I beg your pardon!" Alfred said behind them.

"Now that's a nightmare. I'm here until dad feels better, Bruce. And then there is a brilliant flat in Walthamstow calling my name, far from anything bat-shaped." Julia grinned..

"I must say, it will do nicely this one," Alfred said, gazing through the window.

"I feel better being at the center of the city. Keeping more of the heavy metal gadgets down here, in the new bunker," Bruce agreed. "And admittedly, it is practical resting over the old train tunnels."

"Should I expect a bat-train sometime soon?" Alfred asked, jokingly.

"Bat- _monorail_ , actually. Trademark still pending," Bruce smiled.

"The funny thing is, I don't even know if you're joking anymore," Alfred laughed.

"I don't either," Bruce replied, laughing as well. "Don't make me laugh. It hurts when I laugh."

"Ah, Master Bruce, you're always hurting," Alfred said, gazing at the skyline of Gotham. "Look at it. The city will outlive us all. It gets younger,  _we_  get older."

"You get older," Bruce smiled. "I get  _better_. I'm in my prime."

"Sorry, sir, but I couldn't hear you through all the bandages. Just remember you are not a  _god_ , Master Bruce, you are-"

"Boys, you'll both live forever. Now tell me…" Julia replied, squinting at the window. "What the hell is that?"

The window suddenly broke inwards, as a figure plummeted in, tackling Bruce Wayne down on the ground. Wonder Woman grabbed Bruce Wayne, by the shirt and started to drag him out. She jumped from the window, flying away into the sky.

"Diana?" Bruce coughed.

"Quiet, Bruce. I'm not going to listen to you, anyway," she said as she continued flying throughout Gotham.

"Actually," Bruce replied, grabbing two green circular objects from his pockets. He placed them on each side of Wonder Woman's forehead. "I think you are."

"Arggh," Wonder Woman shouted, dropping Bruce and covering her ears in pain. She ripped the circular objects and crushed them in her palm. She turned to Bruce Wayne, who had landed safely in the park, using a tree branch to break his fall. She landed right next to him in the park. "You're only prolonging the inevitable, Bruce."

"Dammit, will you just talk to me?" Bruce shouted at Diana. "What the hell is going on?"

"Its simple, Bruce. The League is here to do something we've wanted to do for a long time…" Diana gripped her sword and unsheathed it, the tip of the sword glinting in the sunlight. "Kill you."

Panic gripped Bruce and he tried to crawl away. Wonder Woman, realising he was helpless approached from behind. Suddenly, Bruce heard a voice coming into his ear.

"Bruce! Bruce! Are you okay? What the bloody hell is she-" Julia began but got cut off by Bruce.

"Julia! You and Alfred, need to enact plan  _Fenrir_ ," Bruce shouted, still crawling away from Diana, who was right behind him.

"Are you sure? Can you get down to the  _suit?_ " Alfred asked worriedly.

"JUST DO IT!" Bruce shouted, as Wonder Woman approached, preparing for the kill. "AND  _RELEASE_ THE DAMN  _ **GAS!**_ "

**[SCENE BREAK]**

* * *

**Gotham, PRESENT TIME -**

_She means to kill you, Bruce_ , he thought as Diana punched at the suit and he flew back, several metres, crashing into the cars behind him.  _There's no conflict in her about it. No pupil dilation. No hesitation in her movements. Whatever is doing this to her, she's a bit slower than normal, but the fact remains...she's not pulling her punches._

Diana raised her fists, ready to punch again at the suit.  _And neither should you…_  Bruce thought. Before Diana could react, Batman, in the Justice Buster suit, punched her directly in the face. She flew back, crashing into the building, making a giant gaping hole. But that wasn't enough to stop her.

"Diana...you have to fight through whatever this is! Please, tell me, who did this to you?" Bruce asked her.

"Maybe no one, did this to me, Bruce. Did you ever think of that?" she shouted. "Maybe I just hate you. Maybe we all do. And this is simply the end!"

She got up from the ground, turning to the Justice Buster suit. She raised her sword, and ran straight at the armour, launching herself off the ground. "You can hide in that suit, but there isn't an armour in the world…" she brought her sword above her, and sliced downwards, cutting off the arm of the suit, "...I haven't cut through...to bring the enemy...the truth!"

She stabbed at the chest of the armour, and blood spurted outwards. The armour was now ripped and shredded. Bruce was lying on the floor, dying. Diana's sheathed her blood stained sword.

"Diana... _why?_ " Bruce choked.

" _Shh._ Just let it go dark, Bruce. Let it go dark," she replied as Batman died on the ground in front of her.

Or at least...that's what she thought happened. Bruce Wayne, was in fact, standing right next to her, still in his Justice Buster suit. Wonder Woman was just standing their, mesmerised at the imaginary dead body of Bruce, thanks to the relic that Batman had in his armour.

 _She's right. She's a warrior of truth_ , Bruce thought.  _So the only way to beat her is with a lie. The relic is called the "bind of veils", it was woven by Hephaestus in a moment of doubt, not long after he forged Diana's lasso. He used an inverted version of the same weave. It's said to be made from wool from the sheep of Odysseus' men which was used to trick the Cyclops. It took me nearly two years to track it down on the magical black market._

This suit wasn't just armour. It was designed for war with the most powerful superheroes on the planet.

"Base...are you picking up any others?" Bruce asked.

"Nothing sir," the crackling noise of Alfred's voice "Nothing y-"

A red and yellow streak of lightning passed him so fast, that Batman barely had anytime to react. A plate of his armour had been ripped off the suit. Realising who it was, Batman shouted into the suit, "RRRRUUUUUNNNN RRREEEEDDDD!"

This activated the protocol in the suit. What happens next is faster than he could process it. Bruce Wayne had put in more money in this suit than about sixty percent of the world's nations put into their respective militaries. And a good deal of that money went towards a protocol for  _one man_... to make sure that the  _servers_  were fast enough for him. Faster than any human reaction...fast enough to map his movements assuming he wasn't at his  _optimal speed_...and then to fire the frictionless coating...exactly where it needs to go. Before the Flash could react...the strike is so fast...the whole thing is over before Batman could process what happened. Next second, the Flash is lying on the ground unconscious.

"Bruce," a voice behind him said. Batman turned to find Aquaman standing in the middle of the road, his trident firmly gripped in his right hand.

 _First Diana...then Barry...and now Arthur?_  Bruce frowned.  _It's too much for any human telepathic. And Diana's defences against magic...who the hell is doing this?_

"Enough tricks and gadgets!" Aquaman shouted. "Turn and face me, like you have some  _honour_  and we'll-"

The suit automatically fired the dark purple foam coating at Aquaman. As soon as it came in contact with his body, it wrapped around him, engulfing his body.

"That's the thing, Arthur. There's no honour in a street fight," Batman replied.

Aquaman started to struggle against the foam, which made the foam delve deeper, locking and trapping him more.

"The foam is made from powdered magnesium carbonate. It's the most absorbent material on Earth. A single gram was nearly eight hundred metres of surface area," Batman explained. "Bottom line...the more you struggle, the more moisture it rips from your body. Now look at me, and tell me who did this to you?"

"I look at you and see a dead man. That's all," Arthur shouted.

"Who did this, Arthur!" Batman shouted back.

"Batman…" Julia's crackling voice in the intercom filled his suit.

"What is it?" Batman asked.

"We're picking up movement. Something  _big_  is coming at you," Julia said.

"Sir, you should-" Alfred began.

"I'm staying here. It's the only safe place to fight them," Batman cut him off.

 _Get ready to react, Bruce,_  he sighed. He could hear his heart thumping.  _If it's Cyborg, the electromagnetic nerve tree is up...if it's Hal, I've got the citrine neutraliser. Just please...let_ _ **him**_ _still be off plane-"_

_**BOOM!** _

It was like the whole world had suddenly shaken and become lopsided. Superman had suddenly flew down, grabbing the suit and throwing him into the Gotham Royal Theatre. Batman groaned, pulling himself up. The truth is...when gods do come down...it's terrifying...because you never know what they're going to do. Hovering near the falling debris, of the ceiling in the Gotham Theatre, was Superman. Hovering near the place, where the god Apollo was meant to be, in the play. The deus ex machina had happened...but not in Bruce's favour.

"Hello, Bruce," Superman smiled, descending downwards to Bruce. "Sorry about your little 'Justice Buster' suit."

"Clark," Batman groaned, coughing in the suit. "Please…see through this and talk to me...who did this to you?"

"Who?" Superman asked, the red lasers in his eyes fading. "Well, Bruce…it's actually sort of...funny."

A big grin had spread on Superman's face, but it wasn't the usual boy scout grin that Clark would wear. It was more twisted and...evil. The smile spreaded over his face, all of his teeth showing.

"No... " Batman said slowly. "Not him…"

"Oh, yes, Bruce…" Clark laughed, which sent chills down Bruce's spine. "...And no one's going to save you this time…"

**[SCENE BREAK]**

* * *

_The worst part is the sound...No matter what version the end takes. No matter how it happens. Whether its Harvey with his twin bombs-one fission, one fusion. Or Lincoln with his neo-talons. Or a mutated "King" Croc…_

He could feel the tugging of the the creatures below him, trying to drag him down underwater. The king croc from above dived in, swiping at Bruce's body, missing by a few inches. More creatures bunched together, trying to drag him down, into the watery hell of where they came from.

_They're just nightmares, Bruce. Visions of the end, brought on my Crane's Cassandra strain of fear toxin. But they feel real because of the sound. The one there in every version. Mocking, not coming from Croc, or anyone, but coming from the city itself. Who did you think you were? What did you think you were? The sound you're afraid of will be there in the real end...cold empty laughter._

* * *

Bruce suddenly snapped awake from the nightmare, and found himself trapped inside the Justice Buster suit. Above him, Superman had grabbed a supporting pillar of the Gotham Theatre and was now about to ram it into Bruce's suit.

"Superman... _Clark_...listen to me. Whatever he poisoned you with, You...have...to...fight it!" Bruce shouted. "You have to break through it!"

" _Heee...heee...Breakkk through…"_  he said, in the middle of his cold merciless laughter.

Clark slammed the pillar into Bruce's suit, destroying the theatre's foundation in the process. Large amounts of debris fell on the them both, but Superman brushed it off like nothing had happened.

"Hiii, Bruce," Clark smiled, the red beams filled his eyes, growing hotter and hotter. He descended closer to Batman suit of armour.

 _Nothing at all from Clark,_ Bruce thought.  _All he sees is a target. Not the slightest flinch...just glee. Alright, Bruce…_

Red light poured outwards, from the knuckles of the fists, on his Justice Buster suit.  _Time to fight for your life._

Before Superman could react, Bruce brought his entire arm down with full force at Clark's face. Superman crashed on the ground headfirst. "You like the knuckles, Clark?" Bruce shouted. "Each pod contains microscopic  _red suns_ , collected from dead solar systems with the aid of Dr Ray Palmer."

"I call them...my red giants," he said, bringing his fist downwards. "Now you're going to shake this thing…"

"Heh...Red giants," Clark giggled uncontrollably.

"...Even if I have to beat it the hell out of you!" Bruce punched upwards with full force at Clark's face. Superman flew up, into the city, bringing the fight back onto the roads.

"Sssooo…Bruce. Who winssss in a fight? Batman…" Superman said preparing his heat vision. "Or Superman!? HAHA!"

But Batman was prepared for this. The heat vision travelled to his suit and simply bounced off. "Nice try, but this suit is equipped with plasma shields to deflect heat vision," Batman growled. "Thurst and Thermal to counteract your freeze breath...and if you come near me, the knuckles will do the trick. So go on, Clark. Take your best shot."

"B..b...bangg!" Clark smiled, his heat vision flying again, but this time not aimed at Bruce, but the building behind him. The building toppled on Bruce, almost immediately, trapping him inside.

_Dumb, Bruce, you forgot…the suit was designed to battle with Superman. But Superman has limits. Lines he'd never cross. This thing the toxin has turned him into...if he wants to kill you…there's likely nothing on Earth that can stop him._

Clark flew in, and grabbed Bruce by the neck.  _"Heehee...upp...uppp...and awaaaayyyyy!"_  Clark shouted with glee. As they went higher and higher into the air, Clark had managed to rip the armour off. One piece at a time, he destroyed the armour which had cost Bruce, billions of dollars.

" _Where arrrre you, Brucuuce?"_ he smiled and laughed. A shudder travelled down Bruce's spine.

"Clark, listen to me!" Batman shouted. "Clark, don't do this...don't-"

" _Heeheee...therrre you arrre!"_ Clark's uncontrollable laughter filled the air.

"Clark please! This isn't you! It's him! And he-" Bruce began but was cut out by the Clark's deranged laughter.

" _Heehee...hee saysss...beg,"_  Clark smiled, the blood on his lips dripping down.

Bruce Wayne had no option left. Taking the only pellet from the suit's helmet and chewing on it, he spat it in Clark's eye. "AHHHH!" Clark screamed as he fell to the ground, landing in the water with Batman.

 _It's a butadiene-based synthetic rubber, a polymer laced with radioactive Kryptonian dust. Alfred calls it Kryptonite gum. I keep a pellet in the suit's helmet,_ Bruce thought.  _Who wins in a fight between Batman and Superman? The answer is always the same…_

_Neither of us._

**END OF CHAPTER 1.**


	2. Jokes On You!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the threat of the Joker Toxin, still lurking, Batman explores and tries to find out any details he can.

“The toxin in the Justice League is just a more vicious version of the original. With pathogens individuated to each member,” Bruce explained, standing in front of the hologram, with the model of the DNA sample of the Justice League. “For Vic, there’s a rubberised microbe that makes killing the virus with a charge difficult. For Barry, there are magnetised filaments-”

 

“He neutralised them broadly and specifically,” Alfred cut in, standing next to Bruce, in front of the holographic computer.

 

“He’s been planning this?” Julia said with surprise, who was standing at the back.

 

“But they’re faring alright?” Alfred asked, with concern.

 

“They’re faring fine. They’re at A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, where they’re been treated with a quinolone I developed. A broad based antitoxin.” Bruce explained. “They’re responding, but it will take time. Four...maybe five days at max.”

 

“Five days? Nearly a week. A week with no Justice League around the world...if anything should happen, if some maniac should-” Alfred began, his voice getting louder. 

 

“I know, Alfred,” Bruce cut in. “He’s planning something big. Which is why I have to catch him. And why you need to get somewhere safe... _ both _ of you.” 

 

“ _ Somewhere?  _ Master Bruce, I hope you’re joking,” Alfred said, as he sighed.

 

“You’re not well, Alfred. And you know when it comes to him-” Bruce replied.

 

“What he did to me last time-” Alfred started but was immediately cut by Bruce.

 

“I know. You’re not at full strength right now, you need to-” Bruce began.

 

“No! That monster...when he attacks you, he attacks us  _ all _ . This family.  _ My _ family,” Alfred shouted in anger. His hands were spasming in short bursts. “We haven’t been the same since last time. None of us has. And if you think I’m going to sit by and-” 

 

Suddenly, Alfred broke into a coughing fits. After a few minutes, he stopped, trying to breathe in. “Dad, take it easy,” Julia said, helping her dad into a chair. 

 

“You want to stay, Alfred?” Bruce asked. “Fine. I’m not going to fight you. But at least rest.”

 

“I’ll be fine, sir. Now if you will pardon my language,” Alfred said, staring into Bruce’s eyes with fixed anger, “...go get that bastard!”

 

Bruce nodded, slowly and got up, walking towards the hologram, trying to get up the data of the fear toxin. “All right, then. How did he get to your friends?” Julia asked, trailing behind him. 

 

“If I was you, I would be on the next plane to London,” Bruce replied. “Like you said. This isn’t your fight.” 

 

“Hey. I told you I’d help you until my father was better, and I meant it,” Julia said as she took control of the hologram in front of them. “Hell, you don’t even know how to use  _ my _ windows, yet. Here let me.”

 

“Julia,this man, the Joker-” Bruce began.

 

“Bruce, I work for the SRR. We know who he is. I know what he has done to you...and my father. And I’m staying to see this man  _ broken _ ,” Julia cut in. There was no changing her mind. She was determined. “Now…how did he get to your friends?” 

 

“The League isn’t together in many places. It’s a policy. The Watchtower is one of the few locations but the defences there…” Bruce stopped confused. 

 

“Any charities they do? We were after a guy last year who put uranium in schools. His targets were visiting en masse for charity.” 

 

Bruce paused for a minute and then a sudden, horrid thought hit him. “The Gotham Children’s Hospital last month,” Bruce answered. 

 

“So where is he? Where do you think he’ll hit you from next?” Julia frowned. 

 

“...In his own twisted way, he sees himself as  _ serving _ Batman. He thinks he makes the Batman stronger by challenging him with his greatest nightmares. He sees himself as Batman’s friend,” Bruce frowned, pointing to the image of the Joker that had appeared on the hologram. “He used to, at least. But after the last time he fought me on the cliff… if I can glean any meaning in this first attack, its…” 

 

“Friend turned enemy,” Julia finished for him.

***

**ARKHAM ASYLUM. AFTER THE COLLAPSE -**

 

_ No leads at the children's hospital, so here I am,  _ Bruce thought.  _ In the entire city of Gotham...this is the place I hate the most. My allies think that I hate Crime Alley more. But I’ve seen that place change...I’ve seen good there. This place though...This doorway… _

 

Batman stopped in front of the doorway. Cell number 0801, stood in front of him.  _ This is where they used to keep him when he was here _ .  _ Eight o one. The eight and first letter of the Alphabet. A coincidence, or someone’s idea of a sick joke, I don’t know. But this place never changes. After last time, I’d hoped I’d never...I hoped. _

 

Batman stared at the emptiness of the cell. The cold stone floor, and the musty smell of the air in here. Who knows what that insane man had done in here. He saw the bed, held against the walls by chains. He walked towards the bed and stopped in front of him. Rage travelled down his arm in short spasms. He killed someone last time...and he’s going to kill someone again. He gripped the chains and broke it, lifting the whole bed and throwing it against the opposite wall in frustration.

 

“Batman?” someone called out from outside the cell. It was Eric Border, the new orderly at Arkham Asylum. “Are you alright?” 

 

“I’m fine, Mr Border,” Batman said. “You should be at Arkham Manor. I imagine the Joker’s return has stirred up the inmates.”

 

After the destruction that Spectre had caused on Arkham Asylum, Wayne had suggested to the Mayor that they move all the inmates to Wayne Manor. The manor had now been renamed to Arkham Manor. This is one of the reasons that Bruce had moved his gear to the Old Wayne Tower.

 

“It has. But I saw you on the news and the...the “jokerized” heroes and I just...” Eric replied, his voice echoing throughout the empty corridors of the Asylum, “...I guess ever since I started to work here, I’ve been waiting for this to happen.” 

 

Eric paused and crouched down, looking at the ruins of the Asylum around him. “They’re all so afraid of him-” Eric began. 

 

“Mr Border... _ Eric _ . I understand you care about the inmates,” Batman interrupted. “I understand that you want to help them.” 

 

“I do want to help them and I think-” Eric said, standing up and walking towards Batman who was still in Joker’s cell. 

 

“Listen to me. He’s not crazy. He’s just evil,” Batman said firmly. “Now please, go back to Arkham Manor.”  

 

Batman bent down in the cell, trying to collect samples...anything that could help him. He had expected that Eric Border would leave him alone.

 

But Eric Border didn’t leave. He continued walking to the cell in which Batman was in, at a slow pace. “The thing is, you’re right, Batman. When I first arrived in Gotham, I did want to help...its all I wanted to do. I wanted to help the inmates at Arkham. I wanted to help the city,” Eric sighed, still slowly walking towards the cell. “I wanted to help  _ you _ the most. But then I saw that there wasn’t any helping you…”

 

“Because you don’t  _ see _ a helping hand,” Eric continued, taking off his white Arkham coat and lowering his suitcase. “Even when it's right in front of your face.”

 

Batman, who was listening intently to what Eric was saying, raised his head in shock. “What did you say?” Batman asked surprised. He turned around, just as the gate to the cell swung shut, and the loud ringing CLANG noise rebounded off the walls of Arkham. 

 

“Eric, what are you doing?” Batman shouted. “Did he get to you-”

 

“He..?” Eric cut in. “You really don’t recognise me, do you? I admit, I didn’t think you would. There were muscle relaxers which wore off  _ just  _ a little while ago. Hard to keep my face this way, I admit…”

 

Eric ruffled up his hair, and using the handkerchief from his pocket he starts to wipe away the makeup. “The pigmentation, too… Do you know how much afamelanotide and such I had to take? Today it is just makeup, which is why I stood at a distance but still…of course there is the new mug…” Eric replied, as he continued wiping away the makeup from his face. “The name though… _Eric_ comes from _EI_ which is Proto-Norse meaning _eternal_. And Reiks, which is Gothic, meaning _Prince._ _Aaaaaand Border_ is a homophone for _Bourder_ which is a obsolete word for…”

 

“Jester,” Batman finished for him. The shock was visible on his face, as he gripped the cell bars. “Oh god...”

 

Something fell into the cell, a grenade of some sort. Suddenly, the grenade blew up, and gas poured everywhere, spreading to the corners of the room. Batman, tried to move, but found that he couldn’t. He was paralysed

 

“So, Batssssss,” he smiled.

 

He came close to the cell and Batman could see him clearly. It wasn’t Eric that stood in front of him, but the  _ Joker _ . Last time, Batman had met him, the Joker had shaved off his entire face. He did it because he wanted to show Batman that deep down, he is just the same on the surface. There is  _ no _ good in him. Now, he stood in front of him, his face slightly regrown. The green hair, polished to the back of his head. A big grin spreading across either side of his face.

 

“Did you miss me?” the Joker smiled. 

 

_ “JJJJJoooo-” Batman tried to say. _

 

“Haha! Is the gas getting to you? It’s a little paralytic I cooked up here. I know you immunise yourself to so many, so this is something special!” the Joker grinned. “One part of a combo! A pair!” 

 

_ “Youuuu-”  _

 

“Oh yes, it really is me, Bats. I’ve come back to see you one last time,” Joker said, letting out a laugh, that sent shudders down Batman’s spine. “See, before, though...that whole game I set up for you, it was done out of care...it was meant to be  _ comedy! _ But then you dropped me off a freaking cliff! Haha! And so...I’m afraid that this time...Uh-oh,  _ heehee _ .” 

 

“You won’t be able to move, when it starts. You’ll be aware of it, of course, the first injection,” the Joker explained. “And the second and third...the party growing...you’ll see it happening, but I’m afraid that you won’t be able to do anything...at all!”

 

“Sounds dreamy, eh?” the Joker laughed, his head pressed against the cell bars. “See,  _ Batsss _ , this time, no more games...no more jokes...I’m just here to close up shop! I used to think we could have fun, you and me, but no...now I know you better.”

 

_ “Nnoo-” _

 

“But here’s the funny thing...me? You don’t actually know a thing about me, do you? I’m still a total strange. You might pretend you know me, but deep down...oh, you’ll see though...you’ll see soon enough... _ heehee _ ,” the Joker explained. “ _ Yesss _ , time to slit the goat’s throat,  _ old friend _ . And I promise you one thing…” 

 

Joker, got out a gun from his coat. He pointed it at a Batman’s head. “When you come out of it, everyone in Gotham, the  _ whoooole _ city…” the Joker fired. But it wasn’t an actual gun. It was a fake, and as soon as Joker pulled the trigger, a flag erupted from the muzzle with the text  _ BANG! _ The Joker broke into a laughter. “...will be  _ laughing _ at you!”

 


End file.
